A nightshirt is a

garment Clothing (also known as clothes, garments, dress, apparel, or attire) is any item worn on a human human body, body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin s ...

intended for wear while

sleeping Sleep is a state of reduced mental and physical activity in which consciousness is altered and certain Sensory nervous system, sensory activity is inhibited. During sleep, there is a marked decrease in muscle activity and interactions with th ...

, often with a nightcap. It is longer than most regular

shirt A shirt is a cloth garment for the upper body (from the neck to the waist). Originally an undergarment worn exclusively by men, it has become, in American English, a catch-all term for a broad variety of upper-body garments and undergarments. ...

s, reaching down below the knees, leaving some of the legs uncovered. It is often referred to as a nightgown for men, but nowadays, nightshirts are an optional sleepwear for women too. In the US, it also sometimes means a shirt, slightly longer than a regular shirt, reaching down to the thighs, worn as loungewear and nightwear. Traditional nightshirts are used just for nightwear, removed and stored away for next use upon waking. This other, non-traditional type is worn with pajama bottoms. Until the 16th century men slept naked or in a day-shirt . Nobles in the 16th century then wore embroidered shirts or "wrought night-shirts". By the 19th century the nightshirt resembled a day-shirt with a loose, turned-down collar and similar length to a nightgown. Historically, nightshirts were often made of ruined or very cheap fabric, but most are now made of normal cloth. Like nightgowns, it is recommended to wear a

robe A robe is a loose-fitting outer garment. Unlike garments described as capes or cloaks, robes usually have sleeves. The English word ''robe'' derives from Middle English ''robe'' ("garment"), borrowed from Old French ''robe'' ("booty, spoil ...

or a dressing gown over them when expecting guests.

References

Nightwear Dresses {{fashion-stub

See also

References